The automotive market has been dominated by crossovers and SUVs of all sizes and shapes, but it’s still hard to shake the impression that they look… sort of… the same. Often, despite all efforts for invention, creative creativity is limited only to details such as the LED light signature, and you can distinguish individual models mostly only by the symbol on the bow and the inscription on the stern. Which is quite sad.
Who is to blame? Well, the practical part defines the shape of the car quite clearly. Designers will also tell you with tears in their eyes how they are bound by strict safety standards, but at the same time they will never admit that they also like to look over their competitors’ shoulders and copy… sorry, get inspired by current trends – because anything that ensures success news in the current complex market environment, is balanced by gold. But there is another reason…
Photo: Renault
The avant-garde Avantime clearly showed what one of the dead ends of automotive design looks like.
Photo: Chevrolet
Sports roadster / pick-up? No, nobody cares about that either.
Given how many billions of euros are being swallowed up by the development of new digital technologies, sophisticated autonomous driving systems and the electric drive necessary for the future, no one can afford to just throw money out the window on experiments with no chance of a return on investment.
Photo: Citroën
Watch this magic: A hatchback that turns into a convertible that turns into a pickup truck. Which turns into a black hole for money. Here!
Car companies even refuse to make cars that people would still buy (city hatchbacks, family MPVs, representative sedans or sports coupes) because they would simply sell too few of them to make it worth the effort.
So arm yourself and prepare for the worst – everyone will endlessly churn out similar-looking SUVs (only the electric ones will be a little lower and rounder due to lower consumption and longer range). More precisely, until the moment you stop buying them. But you won’t stop, see…
